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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. current — of water
  3. charge — in control
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. current — electric
  7. season — in sport
  8. club — for dancing
  9. chair — a leader
  10. suit — clothes
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. charge — electricity
  13. suit — in cards
  14. season — of the year
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. club — for golf
  17. pass — a permit
  18. suit — to fit
  19. charge — a price
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. current — happening now
  22. club — a group
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chair — to sit on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com